So far whatever exercises I've recommend caters for those who are "fighting fit". And I've realised alot of friends around me have knee injuries. Its so common among runners, footballers and those who have weight problems (as their knees need to support their body weight which can stress and injure their knees). So for this entry, I will recommend some exercises that can help those with knee injuries lose fats too.
I've talked so much in my earlier entries about running and training regimes like interval training and circuit training, these regimes can also be incorporated into swimming or cycling exercises. All you need to do is to replace the runs with either a lap of swim or a 500m/1000m cycle. I will zoom in more on swimming as it can also help rehab your knees.
Circuit Training
Instead of
100m run - 20 push-ups - 100m run - 20 crunches - 100m run - 20 squats - 100m sprint
Replace the run with swim
1 lap - 20 push-ups - 1 lap - 20 crunches - 1 lap sprint (squats should be removed due to knee injury)
Interval Training
As most swimming pools doesn't have distance markers, you would need to estimate the distance. Try a 2-lap interval for a start. Start with a slow swim for half a lap, go slightly faster for the next half lap. Sprint for the next half lap before going very slow for the next half lap. Rest for 2mins before going for your 2nd set. Try to do 4 sets. Once your stamina improves, subsequently, you may increase the distance from half lap to 1 lap, but do increase your resting interval (maybe from 2mins to 5mins).
If you prefer to do your cardio in the gym, you can go for the stationary bike or the power walker. Both have less impact on your knees and also allow you to reap the benefit of cardio training.
Other than cardio training, weights training plays an important role in fat burning too, even for those who has knee injuries (no excuses!). The most important thing is to do your sets either lying or sitting on the bench. Do not stress your knees. So instead of doing lateral raises standing up, do in while sitting on the bench instead.
Try to utilise the machines too. Go for the Leg Curl machine which helps build strength to your hamstring muscles. With knee injuries, it will be very difficult to train hard on your thigh muscles and so, its advisable not to rush into stacking too much weights when you train your thigh muscles. Go slow, go for more repetitions rather than heavier load. Only increase the load when you feel that you are very comfortable with the current load.
I had knee injuries before too and according to my physio, to quickly get my knee back to full fitness, I need to shift the stress and impact on my knee to other parts of my legs and thus I will need to build up on my thigh muscles and hamstring muscles. With a stronger lower body, these muscles can take in the impact and relieve my knees from absorbing those impact.
So to summarize, if you have knee injuries and still want to lose fats, you have to relieve the pressure and impact directed to your knees by training up other parts of your lower body. Go for swims and utilise the machines more. Minimise doing free weights exercises standing up. And while taking note of your exercises, do also take note of what you eat!
Shall stop for now. Stay tuned to FatsOff - your partner in fat-burning!!!
I've talked so much in my earlier entries about running and training regimes like interval training and circuit training, these regimes can also be incorporated into swimming or cycling exercises. All you need to do is to replace the runs with either a lap of swim or a 500m/1000m cycle. I will zoom in more on swimming as it can also help rehab your knees.
Circuit Training
Instead of
100m run - 20 push-ups - 100m run - 20 crunches - 100m run - 20 squats - 100m sprint
Replace the run with swim
1 lap - 20 push-ups - 1 lap - 20 crunches - 1 lap sprint (squats should be removed due to knee injury)
Interval Training
As most swimming pools doesn't have distance markers, you would need to estimate the distance. Try a 2-lap interval for a start. Start with a slow swim for half a lap, go slightly faster for the next half lap. Sprint for the next half lap before going very slow for the next half lap. Rest for 2mins before going for your 2nd set. Try to do 4 sets. Once your stamina improves, subsequently, you may increase the distance from half lap to 1 lap, but do increase your resting interval (maybe from 2mins to 5mins).
If you prefer to do your cardio in the gym, you can go for the stationary bike or the power walker. Both have less impact on your knees and also allow you to reap the benefit of cardio training.
Other than cardio training, weights training plays an important role in fat burning too, even for those who has knee injuries (no excuses!). The most important thing is to do your sets either lying or sitting on the bench. Do not stress your knees. So instead of doing lateral raises standing up, do in while sitting on the bench instead.
Try to utilise the machines too. Go for the Leg Curl machine which helps build strength to your hamstring muscles. With knee injuries, it will be very difficult to train hard on your thigh muscles and so, its advisable not to rush into stacking too much weights when you train your thigh muscles. Go slow, go for more repetitions rather than heavier load. Only increase the load when you feel that you are very comfortable with the current load.
I had knee injuries before too and according to my physio, to quickly get my knee back to full fitness, I need to shift the stress and impact on my knee to other parts of my legs and thus I will need to build up on my thigh muscles and hamstring muscles. With a stronger lower body, these muscles can take in the impact and relieve my knees from absorbing those impact.
So to summarize, if you have knee injuries and still want to lose fats, you have to relieve the pressure and impact directed to your knees by training up other parts of your lower body. Go for swims and utilise the machines more. Minimise doing free weights exercises standing up. And while taking note of your exercises, do also take note of what you eat!
Shall stop for now. Stay tuned to FatsOff - your partner in fat-burning!!!
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